The Trinity in Asian Perspective

The Trinity in Asian PerspectiveWestern Christians often despair of finding meaning in the paradoxical statement that God is both "One" and "Three." The problem, says Jung Young Lee, is not with the doctrine of the Trinity itself; rather, it is with the Western conceptual tendency to view reality in exclusive, "either or" terms. The Trinity is at its heart an inclusive doctrine of one God who is nonetheless three distinct persons. In order to grasp this fact, we need different

Western Christians often despair of finding meaning in the paradoxical statement that God is both "One" and "Three." The problem, says Jung Young Lee, is not with the doctrine of the Trinity itself; rather, it is with the Western conceptual tendency to view reality in exclusive, "either/or" terms. The Trinity is at its heart an inclusive doctrine of one God who is nonetheless three distinct persons. In order to grasp this fact, we need different conceptual categories, not only with which to view God, but all of reality. The Asian philosophical construct of yin and yang can offer a way out of this problem, with its inherently "both/and" way of thinking. Drawing on a variety of East Asian religious traditions, Lee offers a creative reinterpretation of this central Christian doctrine. He shows how a global perspective can illuminate Western theological constructs as he establishes the necessity of a contextual approach to the doctrine of the Trinity.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Published: 01/01/1996
ISBN: 9780687426379
Pages: 256
Weight: 0.85lbs
Size: 9.02h x 6.12w x 0.61d